1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and more specifically pertains to an imaging apparatus having a table, on which an object to be imaged is mounted, and a video camera that faces the table in an imaging direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
A camera-assisted presentation system including a video camera and displaying an image of a material on a monitor television is one known example of imaging apparatuses. The imaging apparatus has a table on which a material to be imaged, such as a document or a photograph, is mounted, and a video camera located above a center portion of the table. The video camera is attached to a post, which is fixed to the table or is folded down in a non-service state and pulled up in a service state.
In the imaging apparatus, the vide camera is provided with a zoom lens for zooming the imaged material or expanding the imaging range. The imaging range may be varied manually or automatically.
The prior art imaging apparatus has a large table, on which the material is mounted. This leads to poor portability of the imaging apparatus. The material to be imaged typically has a size of A4 or greater, and the table accordingly has the size of A4 or greater. Size reduction of the imaging apparatus has highly been demanded with recent size reduction of a liquid crystal projector or a micro mirror device (DMD) projector, which is often combined with the imaging apparatus.
One proposed technique for size reduction of the imaging apparatus in the folded state omits the table and uses legs to support the post with the video camera attached thereto. This technique, however, has a problem that the imaging range is unclear. The required area of the material may thus not be imaged adequately, or it may take an undesirably long time for presentation of the material. Size reduction of the imaging apparatus with a table has accordingly been required.